SYMBOLS OF ANG PAU IN CHINESE NEW YEAR

Mrs Hee Ah Sai is giving Ang Pow to her grandchildren’s.

Klang (Bekely): At every Chinese New Year Mrs Hee will celebrate with all of her family members getting together in the house and preparing Chinese dishes for her family. Before that she will clean the house from top to bottom so that all the bad luck to be rid off from the prior year. Even though her family is mix race she never forgets her Chinese traditions and always peruses her generation.

                       Her house will be decorated with red banners and lanterns symbolizing New Year messages of good luck. Usually it will be decorated at the main entrance of the house. Red is a color of luck and it also symbolizes vitality of life and happiness.  

                     Most exciting in Chinese New Year is ang pow is when the elder individual will be giving ang pow to the younger children and non married person. Ang pow is an auspicious symbol of Chinese culture and normally the color will be red sign of good luck, prosperity and is supposed to ward off evil spirits. In the red envelope there will be gift of money which been carry from generation to generation. The illustrations used on the front of ang pow present blessings and good wishes of longevity, prosperity and great health.

              Through the years, designers have always found new ways to enhance the message of good tidings such as three or nine carps swimming amidst flowering lotuses, the mythical creatures of yin and yang (dragon and phoenix), Chinese zodiac animals depending on the year it will be used, peonies in full bloom, the three immortals and golden pineapples.

                     Chinese culture believes that when giving money on festive or auspicious occasions, never ever put the money in a white envelope or you would face the wrath and fury of the recipient! Money wrapped in white envelopes is given when the occasion is serious, like during funerals, when a gift of money is given to help with the funeral costs. This is called 'pak kum' or 'money for the family of the deceased'.

                                                                     

                      The story of ang pow dates back to the Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time terrorized by a huge dragon-like demon. No one dared to defeat it, not even warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan, armed with a super saber inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil dragon and eventually destroyed it. The villagers were overjoyed and the elders presented the brave young lad an ang pow filled with money for his courage in saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional Chinese customs.

               Amounts given in the ang pow may take advantage of the Chinese homophones. For instance, you can give a positive amount ending with eight, as it sounds like fortune in Chinese, or nine, which sounds like longevity. Doesn't matter what the amount is, ang pow has always been something exciting to receive.

                                                                                    

            The practice of giving ang pow may be centuries old, but it is still as popular as ever. During Chinese New Year, they are given by married to small children, teenagers and unmarried adults, these are the lucky ones those who will continue to receive ang pow until they get married then it’s their turn to give ang pow to the younger children.

                       It is traditional and customary to give ang pow to Chinese parents when their baby celebrates 

his/her first month. In return, parents distribute to well wishers gifts like yellow rice with curry chicken, red eggs. These days, money is given as birthday gifts for celebrants of all ages, what better way to make them happy than to allow them to purchase whatever they want. The elderly also distribute gifts of money to the 

younger generation when they celebrate, for example, their 80th birthday.

                      In Malaysia, the giving of ang pow has cut across cultural lines, and is no longer restricted to the Chinese only. For example, the Malays/Muslims give money concealed in a green packet the same size and shape as an ang pow, decorated with Islamic motifs to young children during  Syawal. Similarly, Indians have also gotten into the act of giving cash, and tuck their legal tender into different coloured packets which are hand over out to little kids during Deepavali.

ALISSA PRIYA DHARSHINI ( week 8 )

SC - KL - 00032992